Photovoltaic roofing elements and photovoltaic roofing systems

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the photovoltaic generation of electrical energy. The present invention relates more particularly to photovoltaic arrays for use in photovoltaically generating electrical energy. Aspects of the present invention provide a variety of photovoltaic roofing elements and systems that include, for example, interlocking geometries to provide for water handling and integration with conventional roofing materials; and wire management features that can protect wiring and associated electrical components from physical and/or environmental damage.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck having a top end and a bottom end, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising:
 a plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements each comprising
 a frame structure having an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface having a top end and a bottom end, the frame structure having an attachment zone and an exposure zone, with the exposure zone disposed toward the bottom end of the frame structure, and the attachment zone disposed toward the top end of the frame structure, the frame structure further comprising a wiring containment structure disposed adjacent an edge of the frame structure; and 
 one or more photovoltaic elements held in the exposure zone of the frame structure, 
 
  the photovoltaic roofing elements being contiguously disposed on the roof deck, the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements together having a top edge facing the top end of the roof deck, a bottom edge facing the bottom end of the roof deck, and two side edges, the photovoltaic roofing elements including sidelap portions that interlock to provide water drainage channels; 
 a plurality of roofing elements disposed adjacent the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, along their side edges; and 
 side flashing elements disposed along the side edges of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, the side flashing elements having a cross-sectional shape comprising a vertically-extending feature and a flange extending away from a lateral side at the downward end of the vertically-extending feature, with the flange facing away from the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements and being at least partially disposed between a roofing element and the roof deck, the vertically-extending feature including a matched interlocking geometry that interlocks with a sidelap portion of an adjacent photovoltaic roofing element. 
 
     
     
       2. The photovoltaic roofing system of  claim 1 , wherein the wiring containment structure is formed as a plurality of spaced-apart sections. 
     
     
       3. The photovoltaic roofing system of  claim 1 , wherein the wiring containment structure is formed as a plurality of spaced-apart sections of channel. 
     
     
       4. The photovoltaic roofing system of  claim 3 , wherein the spaced-apart sections of channel have upward-facing openings. 
     
     
       5. The photovoltaic roofing system of  claim 3 , wherein the wiring containment structure is formed or molded as part of the frame structure. 
     
     
       6. The photovoltaic roofing system of  claim 1 , wherein the wiring containment structure is formed or molded as part of the frame structure. 
     
     
       7. The photovoltaic roofing system of  claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure includes sidelap portions disposed at the lateral edges of the frame structure and having geometries adapted to interlock with adjacent photovoltaic roofing elements to provide water drainage channels. 
     
     
       8. The photovoltaic roofing system of  claim 7 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the sidelap portion at one lateral edge includes an upward-facing water drainage channel; and the sidelap portion at the other lateral edge includes a downward-facing flange adapted to fit into the upward-facing water drainage channel of an adjacent photovoltaic roofing element. 
     
     
       9. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure further comprises a raised lip at the top end of the attachment zone. 
     
     
       10. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure includes one or more raised sidewalls that at least partially define an area in which the one more photovoltaic elements are held. 
     
     
       11. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 10 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the sidewalls have one or more channels formed therein. 
     
     
       12. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 10 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the sidewalls substantially enclose the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held; and the one or more photovoltaic elements substantially fill the area defined by the sidewalls. 
     
     
       13. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 12 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held has an upward-facing base surface, and wherein the sidewalls extend above the base surface by at least about 2 mm. 
     
     
       14. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 13 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, an adhesive or sealant seals an edge of a photovoltaic element to a sidewall. 
     
     
       15. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure comprises one or more downward-facing support structures disposed on the downward-facing surface of the frame structure. 
     
     
       16. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 15 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the one or more downward-facing support structures comprise a plurality of downward-facing ribs. 
     
     
       17. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 16 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the downward-facing ribs are arranged in a grid. 
     
     
       18. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the attachment zone has a top end and a bottom end, the bottom end of the attachment zone being adjacent the exposure zone, the attachment zone having a base surface and a raised lip extending from the base surface at the top end of the attachment zone. 
     
     
       19. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 18 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the exposure zone has a raised sidewall along its top edge. 
     
     
       20. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 19 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, at least one lateral side edge of the attachment zone does not include a sidewall extending from the base surface thereof. 
     
     
       21. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 19 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, neither lateral side edge of the attachment zone includes a sidewall extending from the base surface thereof. 
     
     
       22. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 18 , wherein the frame structure includes one or more raised attachment features extending from the base surface of the attachment zone. 
     
     
       23. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the vertically-extending features of the side flashing elements along a first lateral edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements include a downward-facing flange, disposed in upward-facing channels of the photovoltaic roofing elements disposed along the first lateral edge; and wherein the vertically-extending features of the side flashing elements along a second lateral edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements include an upward-facing water drainage channel, into which downward-facing flanges of the photovoltaic roofing elements disposed along the second lateral edge are disposed. 
     
     
       24. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more top flashing elements disposed along the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, the one or more top flashing elements having a bottom end disposed over the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements; and a top end disposed under one or more roofing elements disposed along the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements. 
     
     
       25. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cant strip disposed under the bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements and on top of an underlying course of roofing elements. 
     
     
       26. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held includes an upward-facing base surface, and wherein the frame structure includes one or more raised structures extending upward from the base surface, the one or more photovoltaic elements being disposed on the one or more raised structures. 
     
     
       27. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 26 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the raised structures are between about 10 mils and about 100 mils in height. 
     
     
       28. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 27 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the raised structures are formed as a plurality of substantially continuous ridges. 
     
     
       29. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 28 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, raised structures are provided along the perimeter of the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements is to be disposed. 
     
     
       30. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 29 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, raised structures are provided along the interior of the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held. 
     
     
       31. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held comprises a plurality of intersecting slats that hold the one or more photovoltaic elements. 
     
     
       32. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure is a unitary frame structure having an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface having a top end and a bottom end, the frame structure having an attachment zone and an exposure zone, with the exposure zone disposed toward the bottom end of the frame structure, and the attachment zone disposed toward the top end of the frame structure, the attachment zone being defined at its top end by a first raised lip extending upward with respect to the upward-facing surface of the frame structure in the attachment zone, the attachment zone being defined at its bottom end by a second raised lip; and wherein the one or more photovoltaic elements held in the exposure zone of the frame structure, the area in which the photovoltaic elements are held being defined at its top end by the second raised lip. 
     
     
       33. The photovoltaic roofing system according to  claim 32 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure includes a sidewall defining the bottom end of the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held, and wherein the sidewall is lower than the top surface of the photovoltaic element by an amount in the range of about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm. 
     
     
       34. A photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck having a top end and a bottom end, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising:
 a plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements each comprising
 a frame structure having an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface having a top end and a bottom end, the frame structure having an attachment zone and an exposure zone, with the exposure zone disposed toward the bottom end of the frame structure, and the attachment zone disposed toward the top end of the frame structure, the frame structure further comprising a wiring containment structure; and 
 one or more photovoltaic elements held in the exposure zone of the frame structure, 
 wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held has an upward-facing base surface, and wherein the frame structure includes one or more raised sidewalls extending above the base surface by at least about 2 mm, the one or more raised sidewalls substantially enclosing the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held; and the one or more photovoltaic elements substantially fill the area defined by the sidewalls, 
 
  the photovoltaic roofing elements being contiguously disposed on the roof deck, the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements together having a top edge facing the top end of the roof deck, a bottom edge facing the bottom end of the roof deck, and two side edges, the photovoltaic roofing elements including sidelap portions that interlock to provide water drainage channels; 
 a plurality of roofing elements disposed adjacent the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, along their side edges; and 
 side flashing elements disposed along the side edges of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, the side flashing elements having a cross-sectional shape comprising a vertically-extending feature and a flange extending away from a lateral side at the downward end of the vertically-extending feature, with the flange facing away from the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements and being at least partially disposed between a roofing element and the roof deck, the vertically-extending feature including a matched interlocking geometry that interlocks with a sidelap portion of an adjacent photovoltaic roofing element. 
 
     
     
       35. A photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck having a top end and a bottom end, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising:
 a plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements each comprising
 a frame structure having an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface having a top end and a bottom end, the frame structure having an attachment zone and an exposure zone, with the exposure zone disposed toward the bottom end of the frame structure, and the attachment zone disposed toward the top end of the frame structure, the frame structure further comprising a wiring containment structure; and 
 one or more photovoltaic elements held in the exposure zone of the frame structure, 
 wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held includes an upward-facing base surface, and wherein the frame structure includes one or more raised structures extending upward from the base surface, the raised structures are between about 10 mils and about 100 mils in height, the one or more photovoltaic elements being disposed on the one or more raised structures, 
 
  the photovoltaic roofing elements being contiguously disposed on the roof deck, the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements together having a top edge facing the top end of the roof deck, a bottom edge facing the bottom end of the roof deck, and two side edges, the photovoltaic roofing elements including sidelap portions that interlock to provide water drainage channels; 
 a plurality of roofing elements disposed adjacent the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, along their side edges; and 
 side flashing elements disposed along the side edges of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, the side flashing elements having a cross-sectional shape comprising a vertically-extending feature and a flange extending away from a lateral side at the downward end of the vertically-extending feature, with the flange facing away from the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements and being at least partially disposed between a roofing element and the roof deck, the vertically-extending feature including a matched interlocking geometry that interlocks with a sidelap portion of an adjacent photovoltaic roofing element.